Of Flowers And Love
by Invader Hog
Summary: I am officially letting this story end here, I just do not have the motivation to finish it, since I have about ten others still unfinished, but if you still want me to finish, write a review letting me know.
1. Dear Journal

**Of Flowers and Love**

**Summary: Ino's personal journal that describes all of her friends in her own way… through flowers. Pairings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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**Chapter One **

**Dear Journal**

**_Monday, October 28 _**

**_Training with Sensei canceled._**

_Good morning journal. I'm outside in the sunlight today, just lounging on the park bench, thinking again. I'm in the North Gardens, where Tsunade-sama likes to walk when she's angry or confused or just plain tired. She doesn't mind me sitting here anymore so I'm just enjoying the flowers. Today has been a bad day for her though. She's come out three times, nodded to me, looked at the bramble a few times, she's envious it seems. Of what I don't know._

_I've noticed this though, among many people, that they seem to represent what I know best. Flowers. So I decided to do something while I am alone to think._

_To describe each of my friends within the next few pages, so I get a better look at them, not with speaking, but just observing. You know, I heard that you can learn a lot from a person from what they do and not say. I'll also draw a few pictures with their flowers. That way I can remember this when I'm old and dying, knowing more tomorrow that I didn't know today._

_Yeah. So I'm going to start with the Hokage, Fifth._

_She is a beautiful young woman, blond hair, a nice rack to say the least but she seems distant sometimes, hasty in her thoughts, often lost for words. I don't know why, but I'll wait for her hasty return and watch her, then decide on the flower._

"Good morning Lady Hokage," someone spoke as Ino looked up from her journal, blue eyes gazing at the blonde goddess with a sad smile on her face. Someone had died, again.

_Another one, she only seems to smile like that when she has to tell a family they've lost a child or parent. I noticed it the first time she told me that Chouji had… you know. Well she had that same sad smile on her face. Now I know what it means._

"Good morning. Please leave me," Tsunade-sama said, the random ninja bowing and leaving, Ino not moving. She was not asked to move of course because she didn't ever speak, not trying to interfere in the Hokage's thoughts.

"Another one, Ino…"

Ino didn't look up, but watched where her brush missed a stroke on her journal, making her put it down.

"A girl. Fifteen… Do you really think he'll want this job?"

"Naruto?" Ino asked, not looking up from where she had stopped, the blotch shinning in the burning morning sun.

"He's going to hate it, oh so much he will…" she turned around and headed inside, not say anything else. After a long pause of listening to the loud bugs hidden in the leaves and flowers Ino lightly picked up her brush and continued on with her strokes.

_Perhaps it's the way life is that we cry. Maybe I gave up on life a long time ago, so I can't cry. Maybe… I can't seem to think of a good flower. There are so many…_

_I need something else. Something that will make it for sure…_

Ino stood up, closing the journal, finished with her writing for now, but she would figure out what to do, she was sure of it. As she left the gardens in silence, she heard a low whistle come from somewhere inside a large open room, the view looking out onto the village. Sitting alone, holding a scroll, crying muffled in another room behind her, was the Hokage, looking at the scene, whistling a sad tune, one Ino had never heard before. Ino suddenly sat down to stop blocking the view, opening her journal.

_My Lady Hokage, Tsunade-sama, Fifth of all Hokage in the Village Hidden in the Leaves is a Giroflée des jardins._

_In the Language of Flowers it means_

Ino paused before she wrote the last words, looking up at her Hokage, sitting and whistling as the screams and cries got louder, her whistle staying constant. Ino nodded and finished the two words.

_Enduring Beauty._

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**-What do you think? I found a fascination with flowers so suddenly when I got this book from my dad about flower arranging and felt that Ino should have a fic of her own, talking about what she loves best. Coolness! Jya ne!**

**Invader Hog OUT!**


	2. For The Fans

**Of Flowers and Love**

**Summary: Ino's personal journal that describes all of her friends in her own way… through flowers. Pairings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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**Chapter Two**

**For The Fans**

**_Tuesday, October 29_**

_Training was boring as usual. Sensei says I don't need to worry about becoming a Jounnin in a few weeks, that's the test, but I know that it's going to be hard. But I decided to write before I went to bed. I'm actually in the park tonight, it's after sunset, but he's coming. He always does about this time of night, to sit in the tree next to the street lamp and think._

_Uchiha Sasuke._

_He's been ignoring me, like usual, but lately he's been much more distant. He is a chunnin still, after that whole kidnapping deal, he won't be allowed to take the exam until next year. Sakura, TenTen, Hinata, Naruto and I are taking it, everyone else is a Jouunin already, like Shikamaru, but I'll talk about that another day. Tonight, I'm going to think about Sasuke and his flower._

_Ah! He's coming down the path, I'm just going to doodle some flowers to seem uninterested in him._

Sasuke walked in silence, hands in his pockets and his head lowered as he moved through the park. Ino was sitting under a street lamp on a bench, pretending to draw a flower sitting in her lap. Sasuke didn't say anything as he walked up the side of the tree opposite of her position. Ino waited until he had forgotten she was there to continue writing.

_He never talks to me you know. He always acts like I'm not here. I don't care though, it's not like he ever did, but it's annoying. He even ignores Sakura when she puts on the best clothes and I'm always the one she cries to. I guess it comes with the best friend job. I swear, I don't even know why I ever liked that block of ice… But whatever, this is about the flowers._

_Now I'm going to pick one… maybe the white rose, it means silence. Heh, works perfectly. But he talks every once in a while, so I guess not… that's probably Shino… I'll get to him later… probably. Anyway, Sasuke._

Ino looked up to see Sasuke watching the moon. She looked at the sky as well, the thin night clouds covering a few stars as they drifted helplessly in the vast sky. Without thinking, Ino dropped her brush and Sasuke looked down at her, remembering her presence.

"Oops."

Ino grabbed it, trying to hide the angry face she was making at herself. Sasuke suddenly dropped from the tree in front of her, a single leaf floating down as she looked up at him.

"H-Hello Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at the journal Ino was trying to hide under her chest while she tried to bend down and get her fallen brush. Sasuke didn't say anything as he picked up the brush and gave it to her, turning and leaving. Silence actually was a good one for him.

Ino waited until he was completely gone before she let out her breath and went back to writing.

_This'll probably take more thinking. He's silent, but graceful, I don't know. Southernwood maybe, means pain. Sakura told me about the massacre one day but I never breathed a word of it to anyone. I wrote about it in another journal a few years back, it's hidden in my secret spot under the bridge. I won't say anything else. Anyway, I just don't know. He doesn't seem to understand that he is hurting or anything. Maybe he's blind? What flower is that? I can't remember._

_I might write back tomorrow with an answer. Go ahead and wait for that then, I am still unsure. I'll talk tomorrow._

**_Wednesday, October 30_**

_Training sucked, Shikamaru nearly took off my head with that damn juutsu of his! Whatever, I'll write about it later maybe._

_Anyway, I am back on the Sasuke thing. I saw him after training. He looked really angry and later Sakura was crying. I asked her why but she smiled and walked away, again. I swear that girl never learns. I'm about to go talk to Sasuke about it. I'll write when I get back._

_Hey, I'm back. I talked with him. It was scary. Not funny scary, but scary. I wish Shikamaru had been with me, I wouldn't have left without pressing for more. Anyway, all he said was that Sakura was a spoiled pig and that I was no better, that all of Konoha was stupid and…_

Ino stopped as a tear splashed the paper and she dropped her brushed in the ink pot. She waited a few minutes before she whipped her eyes and grabbed the brush again.

_That moron. I decided what flower he was! A Poplar, white. It means… Time. That's what he is. He's time and there is nothing else I can really say. I don't want to be the one to give my time to someone who doesn't want it. Tomorrow I'm going to Sakura and I'm going to yell like crazy and then I'm going to yell at Shikamaru. That way everyone will know that he is a waste of Poplar, white._

Ino paused and sighed. She was being stupid, again.

_I don't know why I'm acting like this. I seriously don't want to put time into this and I know Sakura does. So there you go._

_That ice block isn't worth a Poplar, white._

_Time._

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**-If you read this, read a little franticly, because that's how I felt when I wrote it, I was frantic and in a hurry, but it actually is how I would write in my journal when I was upset. Any who, please review. Jya!**

**Invader Hog OUT!**


	3. Doodle

**Of Flowers and Love**

**Summary: Ino's personal journal that describes all of her friends in her own way… through flowers. Pairings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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**Chapter Three**

**Doodle**

**_Thursday November 1st_**

_Things have been quiet around here. After the whole Sasuke thing yesterday, I decided to kind of distance myself from everyone, not say much you know. I've been carrying this journal around with me, as you can see on the past few pages I drew a bunch of doodles of flowers, there are a few of me killing random things, there's a bug, a few cattapillars and other random things but anyway, I think it's time to start thinking on my flowers again._

_I've done Sasuke, the Hokage and I think I got my next target. Here he comes now. The Loud Mouth Moron!_

Ino looked up from her journal, her name ringing through the calm air.

"Hey there Ino! What's up?" Naruto yelled out, even though he was standing two feet in front of her. Ino only sighed and looked back at her journal, trying to think of a good response.

"I think… I was thinking…"

"Uh… Okay… Do you draw flowers in there?" Naruto asked, pointing to her journal, a small pansy doodled in the corner. Ino nodded and Naruto smiled.

"Cool. Hey! Can you draw people too!" Naruto asked, smiling happily.

"Uh…. People? I guess… I'm not too good though…" Ino said, thinking.

"Well, can you draw me?" Naruto asked, getting excited.

"I guess…"

Ino hurried to note this in her journal.

_Hold on, Naruto wants me to draw him, I'm not really good though. But this might give me time to find a good flower for him, and I might drawn it next to his picture, I'll move to a fresh page now._

"Okay, make a pose I guess and hold it," Ino said, sitting up straighter, Naruto leaping onto a large rock in the center of the park she was sitting in, making a superhero pose.

After a long time, Naruto started to get bored but wanted to see the end result. After about twenty minutes Ino stopped and looked at the picture, looking a little satisfied.

"What do you think?"

Naruto hopped down from his perch and looked at it. It was sort of like him… he guessed. It was a little off around the face but it certainly made him look cool!

"That looks great! You should draw people more Ino!" Naruto said, grinning happily. Ino nodded her head as a thank you and the bouncing blonde took off with a wave and a smile. Ino waited a few minutes before she looked back to the journal.

_I don't know how to describe that guy. He's cheerful, but very self absorbed, likes to be noticed, absolutely craves attention, has little ninja experience, yet he wants to be Hokage? I guess things can happen if you go for it… Now that sounds a little too cliché… Oh well…_

Ino tapped her brush onto her chin, thinking.

_He certainly could be a Poplar black, it means courageous, and it would be the opposite of Sasuke's Poplar white, and they are certainly opposites… Or perhaps the pine, for boldness, he was bold during the hard Chuunin exams… I'm sure that would work…_

_But for some reason it still doesn't fit right…_

Ino looked up suddenly to hear a battle cry. Naruto, hands over his head, came flying past her, yelling for the person behind him to stop throwing all the kunai. Sakura came charging after the blonde boy, trying to duck for cover, using Ino as a shield.

"AH! It wasn't my fault! It was all Shikamaru's idea! I promise!" Naruto tried as Sakura pulled out more kunai, death in her eyes. Ino blinked as a small spatter of ink fell on her journal and she realize that Sakura was looking right at her.

"Step aside Ino! I have to kill this loser! He took my panties! AGAIN!" Sakura screamed, jumping over Ino and almost taking off Naruto's head. Soon the two were running again, Naruto screaming for help while Sakura screamed at him. Ino sighed as she realized that she had been dripping ink on her journal.

_Oookkkkaaaayyy… that was interesting…_

Suddenly Ino smiled.

I_ got it. There is only one word for Naruto, no matter how old he gets! _

_He was a strawberry from the Indies, it's a type of strawberry that means, Deceitful appearances._

Ino let out a laugh as she saw in the distance, Sakura pelting random objects at the next Hokage.

_Yeah… A strawberry…_

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**-Oh, thank you all for the reviews, they were so sweet. I am so glad that you like my idea so much, and many said it was so original. Oh, and if you wanted to see the drawing Ino made of Naruto, or my doodle of this scene, then review and ask, I'll send it to you, cause it looks really weird and yet funny. Jya!**

**Invader Hog OUT!**


	4. Cherry On Top

**Of Flowers and Love**

**Summary: Ino's personal journal that describes all of her friends in her own way… through flowers. Pairings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter Four**

**Cherry On Top**

**_Friday November 2nd_**

_Training sucked, as usual. Asuma-sensei made me run thirty laps around the village with a hug rock on my back! God that was retarded, by the time I was done, I was so angry I threw the rock at him and went home. Oh well… I decided to look at my flowers for now I noticed I don't have Sakura on here._

_I guess she's next._

Ino looked around the small café, Naruto jabbering away about training was annoying and Hinata nodding her head in amazement, Shikamaru complaining about something to someone and then there she was. Sakura Haruno.

Ino turned back to her journal.

_It would probably make perfect sense to just call her a cheery blossom but I want to make her flower more special. She's talking to Tenten about something, not that I care, it's just I can't tell anything from her just sitting there…I'll join them I guess. Or probably Shikamaru to not look so suspicious…_

Ino stood up from the small table she was at and silently sat down next to Shikamaru, whom had been talking to Neji it appeared, and made sure she had a clear view of Sakura.

"Ino? What're you doing here? I thought you had training?" Shikamaru asked lazily, not sure what to say to Ino's strange behavior.

"I took Asuma out, he'll be coming to consiousness in about three more hours," Ino said distantly, not receiving any of the usual laughs she got. The two genius boys stared at her as she watched Sakura.

Finally Ino snapped back to her journal and started writing, Shikamaru too tired to try to see what it was that she was writing.

_She seems so normal… and yet she's so messed up. I swear that girl's cried who knows how many times and two days ago she completely fell apart. Maybe I made a mistake when I decided that Naruto was the Strawberry from the Indies… No. She's much different to Naruto. At least he has some life to him… not that I hate Sakura or anything, but she is acting so not like she did the other night._

_I told you I was going to yell right? Well I went to Shikamaru and told him about it calmly and left without his opinion, not that I didn't know what that was. Then I went to talk to Sakura. She said she had no idea what in the name of the Hokage I was talking about…_

_That stupid girl…_

Ino looked up but before she could write some more, a hand grabbed her own and she was being led out of the café, blue eyes meeting brown.

"What are you doing? I thought this whole thing was cleared up!" Shikamaru said, pulling her into an alley.

"I thought it was but…" Ino trailed off, looking at the ground.

"You can't keep hiding behind that little book of yours, Ino."

"I'm not hiding behind anything. I told her what I thought and she just told me I was crazy! I can't believe you actually thought I was trying to avoid talking to her!" Ino turned away but dropped her journal in her anger. Shikamaru paused and looked at the fallen diary. Ino had already been halfway down the street, ranting and raving to whomever passed her about the entire deal.

Reluctantly the lazy ninja bent down and picked it up.

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_Uh… Dear Ino's journal,_

_Sorry about the inconvenience but Ino is off causing mass destruction so I will be finishing an entry. This is stupid and I don't like it. Maybe you could let Ino know that she is a troublesome woman and needs to have and actual conversation with her friend. By the way, I didn't read any of the other pages, I just wanted to write this note._

_-Shikamaru_

Ino stared at the journal entry but smiled. She had come home cooled off but found the journal laying on her bed, brush and set with it.

"Hmm…"

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_Hey, I'm back. Remind me to thank Shikamaru later… It's about seven right now and the sun's gone, Sakura should be coming home soon. I see her pass by our training grounds every night on her way home. This way I can talk to her about Sasuke and figure out her flower._

_Ah! Here she comes!_

Ino set her journal down under a tree and ran to catch up with the pink Shinobi.

"Sakura…"

"Hey Ino… Uh… what's up?" Sakura asked but Ino paused. What had she wanted to talk about again?

"Uh… Sasuke!" Ino said loudly, looking behind Sakura. The pink haired girl froze, her eyes filled with fear and hate. She slowly turned around to see the cold block of ice walking toward them.

"Hello, Sasuke, how're you?" Ino asked, trying to not sound like she was still hurting from the other night. The boy looked up and then at Sakura.

"What do you want?"

"Just talking to Sakura about a new move I learned! It's call 'Hitting your sensei when he makes you run thirty laps around the village with a rock on your back' no juutsu!" Ino said, smiling brightly. Sakura's eyes moved to Ino and suddenly she started to laugh crazily.

"Uh… whatever…"

He left them, completely confused, but after a few moments he smiled, it was good to hear Sakura laugh.

"Oh Ino, you're too dumb for your own good," Sakura said, sighing and wiping her eyes of a few tears.

"Yeah… whatever… By the way, I know what you are now," Ino said, snapping her fingers. Sakura looked at her, completely confused.

"You're a… Oh! Never mind, I have to get going, I'll see you tomorrow!" Ino called, running and grabbing her journal before she took off, jumping over rooftops to reach her own and stopped to write.

_I thought of one for Sakura. She's such a dork, but I'll give it to her, It's called Mezereon, it means a Desire to Please. She's always acting like she's so strong in front of everyone, and I know she wants to show Sasuke that she is the greatest there is. I know it for sure. So I'm going to stick with that. I guess that's all for tonight._

_Hmm…tomorrow I might pick someone at random, I don't know. Just wait for it though._

_Mezereon…_

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**-Sorry for the lon****g update, I just couldn't get to my computer. Thanks for the reviews and I will be sending out the pictures ASAP, my computer is not cool right now. But thanks for everyone reading this. I'm not sure how many chapters it's going to be, so I'll let you know when it gets close to the end. Thanks. Jya!**

**Invader Hog OUT!**


	5. Got A Screw Loose

**Of Flowers and Love**

**Summary: Ino's personal journal that describes all of her friends in her own way… through flowers. Pairings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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_A/N: OMG! You guys are so sweet! I got the most beautiful review from_ Kurayami no Sayokyoku, _thank you so much. I am glad you guys really like my idea and because of requests from _deathrosekitty _I will next be doing Neji. Again thank you so much, you don't even know how happy I was when I read them, especially after my last chapter. Thank you again all my reviewers, this is for you all._

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**Chapter Five **

**Got A Screw Loose**

**_Saturday November 3rd_**

**_Official Date for Jounnin Exam: December 15th_**

_Hey, did you know it's not a good idea to try and pluck a live chicken while holding onto a bucket of paint and balancing a ball on your head? Well me neither, uh… until earlier. I ran into TenTen and we got into an argument over what has to be the stupidest stunt in the world and I told her that riding a cow backwards in the desert while drinking warm sake and singing was just plain crazy but then she bet that hers was crazier. Well, long story short, she won. Note to self, never question TenTen!  
Actually I was thinking about writing down her flower but after that I saw Neji training and changed my mind. I'll do TenTen another day. Now about Neji, he's a little distant but still pretty cool. Every once in a while I've trained with him, since he is a Jounnin and all, and he isn't so bad, but there is probably more I need to learn. Hmm… I'm going to take you to the Training Grounds tonight and have a chat with him._

_Talk to you later…_

Ino closed her journal, laying the brush on the desk, thinking to herself. The flowers she had already written about were drawn and hung up around her bright purple room with her own personal drawing of each person.

"Only four so far. There are so many people, it'll take a while… But I'll do it! For no reason I can possibly think of!" Ino said with a fist in the air. Soon she was called down for dinner, telling her parents of the boring day's events, not including the stupid bet she had made before she said goodnight to them and slipped into the night, journal and brush in hand.

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_Hey, it's me again. I was walking along the road and I met up with Naruto and Kiba about duel, Lee was there too, cheering them on. Jeez, guys are so strange sometimes. I told them to go home, but of course they didn't listen and it turned into a brawl between them so I just left without bothering to say anything. I swear, those guys need so much help. Anyway, I got to the place TenTen usually trains but Neji wasn't there, so I tried the ramen stand but he wasn't there, so now I'm just sitting in the park, the one near the bridge, to see if he comes by._

Ino looked up from her scribbles, a small picture of Shino in an action pose doodled on the back of one sheet of paper. She started to think about how cool it would be to fly when she heard someone walking onto the bridge.

The moonlight reflected it's beauty in his pearl eyes, his stern face reflecting the dark shallow water of below.

"You know, a Blue Moon is the second of two full Moons that fall in the same month. This can occur because full Moon's occur roughly every 29.5 days. A Blue Moon occurs roughly every two and three-quarter years."

Neji shifted his eyes to Ino standing there smiling. She was holding something behind her back, making his eye it before speaking.

"Why would I care?"

"You look at the moon right? So now you know when to look for it," Ino said with a smile.

"You're weird Ino."

"So I'm told. Anyway, why do you look at it so much? I would think you'd like sunlight more, you know, your last name and all."

"I prefer it not blaring light at me. Why are you out here so late?" Neji asked, looking back toward the moon. Ino smiled and sighed.

"I don't really know. That random fact is the only thing I know about the sky. I bet you anything Shikamaru knows like a gazillion things like that. Do you like the stars or something? You look at them a lot too I noticed."

"Stars aren't very interesting," Neji responded with a cool voice. Ino blinked and then nodded.

"Well, they say that the sun is a star so I guess that makes sense. But, don't you need sunlight to see the moon?"

Neji didn't say anything for a moment but slowly smirked.

"Why are you out so late Ino?"

"I could be asking the same thing to you," Ino shot back without hesitation. He made a slight frown but nodded as if he accepted the answer.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm drawn to the night more then the day."

"Maybe, or you just are afraid."

Neji shot a look at her but Ino threw her hands up as if she didn't mean any harm.

"I'm just saying, it might be psychological or something. I don't know. Anyway, I'll talk to you later," Ino said, starting to walk away.

"You have a little over six weeks until the Jounnin Exam. You think you can pass it?" Neji asked. Ino stopped and turned slightly to face him.

"Yeah. I think so. You're a cool guy Neji, don't forget that," Ino said, heading down the half lit street. She stopped under a lamp on a park bench to write.

_Just talked to Neji about the moon. I remember TenTen once told me about that, don't remember why, but it stuck with me. Maybe that's why TenTen likes the moon so much, you know, because Neji does? I don't know. Anyway, I think I have three plants in mind but they all seem to work for him… Maybe I could ask someone. Ah! I got it. Lee and them might still be fighting, I could ask him his opinion. You know, kind of like a poll. I'll interview them all. I'll record it here! Okay, I'm off!_

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_Naruto: A little distant, quiet, brilliant opponent, seems to be true to his name, proud_

_Lee: Cool guy, opposite of his family name, likes to be alone a lot, very proud_

_Kiba: cold, kind of creepy, very full of himself._

_Sakura: distant, keeps to himself, very proud_

_Hinata: uh… she really couldn't come outside, she was stuck inside her mansion so I had to skip her._

_Shino:… doesn't talk much……………………bye……………_

_Shikamaru: troublesome… He fell asleep after that._

_Sasuke: Cold, annoying, stupid and annoyingly proud_

_That was all I could get to. It's about eleven now, I think it's time I picked! My mom's going to kill me for staying out so late. I am so confused. There's one that kept showing up besides distant, that was proud. Well after that talk about the night and stuff, he doesn't really seem to be proud of anything but himself… Maybe he is… Huh? Oh sorry, I heard someone coming. I think I hear voices over on the bridge. I'll be right back._

Ino closed her journal and hurried over to the bridge, a pair of teens talking. TenTen was facing the proud Hyuuga, her shoulders a little slumped. Ino hurried behind a tree to hear them talking in low voices. TenTen seemed to have been crying.

"You shouldn't blame yourself," Neji said in a calm voice as TenTen continued to cry quietly, angry at herself for showing this weakness in front of him.

"I… I could have stopped fighting with her so much… I… I yelled at her before she left…" TenTen had fully broken down now, crying into his chest. Neji blinked slowly, patting her as she cried hard.

"It's not anyone's fault. It was an accident…"

"S-She said that m-my c-c-chicken s-story was s-stupid, then I-I y-yelled at her. I s-slammed the door at h-her and she left. S-She was my mommy!" TenTen cried, her muffled voice stuttering as she tried to keep audible. She almost pulled away when Neji suddenly pulled her into a hug, putting his right hand over her head, trying to show protection to her. That was all he seemed to know to do but soon her tears subsided. Ino smiled and turned away, about to go back to the bench where her journal was waiting when she heard something behind her.

"TenTen… don't worry. I'll watch over you… like she would…"

Ino smiled as she hurried to the bench, her journal patiently awaiting her return.

_TenTen was crying. I think I found Neji's flower though. Its nothing to do with his personality as others see him. Its how the world should see him, I think. It's the Coriander. It means Hidden Worth. Yeah, that sounds right._

_I'm guess I should be getting to bed, I'm already fifteen minutes after curfew. Talk to you tomorrow._

Ino closed her journal and started heading home when she took one final look at the moon for the night.

"Hmm…"

She had picked the right flower, she was certain.

_Hidden Worth…_

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**-Hey y'all, I am so happy! I wrote this in pure joy, except the sad part with TenTen, I might never actually write down what happened, so you might need to draw your own conclusions… Unless I write it in her chapter… Hmm… Oh well, if you have a request for a character I will gladly write it. Still I don't know how long this is going to be because there are kind of two things going on at once, the Jounnin Exam and her diary entries, so I might go into story mode later so whatever. Anyway, sorry this is a long note, I love reviews! Good or bad, at least they mean you read! Oh, and there are very slight parings in this, so don't read into TenTen and Neji together if you don't like that. Thanks! JYA!**

**Invader Hog OUT!**


	6. Sand Storm

**Of Flowers and Love**

**Summary: Ino's personal journal that describes all of her friends in her own way… through flowers. Pairings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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**Chapter Six **

**Sand Storm**

**_Sunday November 4th_**

_I am so angry! That darn sand girl came back! I swear she wouldn't stop bothering me! 'How's Shikamaru? I heard that you wanted to try to become a Jounnin'…blah blah blah! I can't believe that girl has the nerve to show up here! Not that I don't like her, but she's always on **my **case as if I'm the reason the rain falls on nice days. I don't even want to know why she singles me out… especially if it's because she's really gay…Then no way. Oh man, I'm being dumb again. I shouldn't talk about her like that. Who am I talking about? Temari of the Sand. She's really nice, but sometimes I feel like she's after something and I'm in her way…_

_Well, since she did come back today, I decided I'd make her flower for her. But where to start, I don't really know… Maybe a Tiger-flower… oh wait, that sounds kind of rude because it means cruelty, even though it's a nice flower… I better see if I can find a better one…_

Ino looked up from her journal, Shikamaru sleeping soundly next to her in the middle of the open field. She had just sat down to think a bit and since Temari was always looking for Shikamaru, then she'd come by here.

"Ino!"

'Right on cue,' Ino thought a little bitter as she turned to see the other blonde.

"Hey Temari, what're you doing out here?" Ino asked, standing up, leaving her journal on the ground.

The sand born girl stood high and proud in her brand new Jounnin outfit that she took the liberty of shoving in Ino's face the first time they had met each other again.

"Just wandering. You know this place pretty well right?" Temari asked distantly as she saw Shikamaru in the distance, shifting as he continued to sleep.

"I guess so… Why?" Ino asked, looking around the field.

"Hmmm….. then maybe you could give me a tour!" Temari said slowly, her eyes set on Shikamaru now.

"A tour? Uh… I don't know… I was supposed to be leaving soon to get my mother some groceries."

"Oh!" Temari said, clapping her hands together once, "Then can I come with you?"

Ino sighed but knew it would be a good way to talk to the Sand Princess

"Sure…"

* * *

_Hey, I'm back. I forgot you next to Shikamaru but he was still sleeping when I got back three hours later so I'll let you know what happened._

_First Temari had to just go everywhere in the market, she was so excited about seeing everything and told me a little about how her brothers are doing, but nothing much about herself. So we finished shopping then went to get some ice cream when we ran into the loudmouth. He was ranting on and on about how he was so angry that this guy ate his food or something, but anyway, he was going on about this that more people showed up at ice cream place, TenTen, Sakura, Sasuke, even Hinata and Kiba, but Temari seemed a little distracted._

_After an hour of talking with everyone I started to head back when I noticed I had lost Temari._

_After about twenty minutes of searching for her I found her at the memorial…_

Ino looked up from her journal, suddenly burying her head in her hands, starting to whimper a little. The silent boy laying next to her slowly opened an eye to see her shaking shoulders.

"Ino… what're you doing here?"

"I-I…"

He slowly sat up and sighed, patting her back.

"Stop crying, or I can't help you."

"T-Temari…" Ino whispered, dropping her journal on the ground and hugging Shikamaru, burying her face into his chest as she cried. Shikamaru sighed and picked up the journal, it open to her latest entry. He sighed as he started to read, Ino sniffling in silence.

* * *

_"**This is the memorial of the greatest ninja in the entire village," Ino announced, showing Temari the large stone in the center of the holy place. Temari seemed distant as Ino ranted on about how honorable it was to have one's name made here. Temari reached a small graveyard and stopped.**_

_"**Where is Chouji buried?" Temari asked, looking at the rows and rows of small grave planks.**_

_"**Uh…. This one over here…" Ino said, slowly walking toward a brightly decorated one, her blue eyes hidden as she looked at the ground. A grave marked in the ground was fresh with spring flowers and a small paper butterfly on the post. Temari looked at it for a long time and Ino noticed the distant look in her eyes.**_

"_**He was alone, I heard."**_

"_**Uh…. He fought bravely! No one could have ever expected him to…"Ino trailed off starting to pick a few flowers out of the ground that were dying.**_

"_**Did you ever want to do this?" Temari whispered.**_

"_**What?"**_

"_**You know what. Be a ninja. Yes we are the pride of our village but it people just got along then there would be no need for us…" her green eyes starting to sparkle with tears, her head low.**_

"_**But then more people would have to defend this place anyway, there are people out there who want to destroy our villages and as ninjas were are asked to only protect what we love. That's what he did, he died protecting the place he loved. He was a great fighter, no one saw more potenial in him then Shikamaru, that's why he picked him… Do you wish you had gone?"**_

"_**I would have rather died saving someone else's village then my own, I hate the place I can from, always living in fear, not knowing the love of parents, out in the desert with two little brothers who never listen to me. I lived a horrible life until I came here, met you and Shikamaru, but this guy… he wasn't anything like anyone I'd ever met, so brave in a completely hopeless situation and died for the love of a thing that can't love him back… land."**_

_**Ino stood in silence over the grave, a few blue and white butterflies fluttering as a gush of wind blew past, sending the dead flowers in her hands into the air.**_

"_**If we didn't die, someone else would have to."**_

"_**I want to die, but not for people who don't love me."**_

"_**What are you talking about? You have the world on a platter for you, guys swoon and girls envy, why die now?" Ino almost yelled, anger rising in her chest.**_

"_**Do you think I have a single friend? Chouji was the only one who ever talked to me like a human!"**_

"_**Chouji?" Ino asked, taking a step back.**_

"**_Yes… Before the fight with Shikamaru he came up to me and wished me luck, his own teammate about to fight me and he wished me luck. I was at first angry, thinking he meant that the lazy idiot would beat me, but it was more of him wishing me luck in my fight, that I understood something, luck that I would get it. Whatever it was I was supposed to get…."_**

_**Ino stared at the grave and suddenly started to cry.**_

"_**Ah! I-Ino! What's wrong?"**_

"_**H-He was a-a-always the best of us a-all, he was the o-only one who cared! God why'd he have to die!"**_

_**Temari knelt down and helped the weeping girl to her feet, taking a short path back to the hill, leaving her there, without anything short of a "Good-bye, I'll visit again."**_

Shikamaru sighed and realized that Ino had fallen asleep on his, leaving him still holding her journal. She had been doing this lately, writing down flowers. Well he did know of one flower that he would think Ino would like for the Sand ninja.

_Dear Ino's Journal, again _

_I can't think of anything else to do but this, so here it goes. Ino is unable to speak right now, but this flower she has been looking for, might be the Hybrid crium, the only flower I remember from Ino's shop. It means Delicate Weakness. Temari is weak, but not as in physical strength, but mental, with no life she deserved, living in constant hatred of the world, she is left alone as this tiny little flower. Guess that's all I can say. Ino's still sleeping._

_**Shikamaru**_

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**-Hey y'all, I was so busy with finals and computer problems that this chapter took forever to finish. Yes, I made Shikamaru write the end, but he's smart and would probably remember something random like that that Ino told him. So sorry for the late chapter, thank you for all of the reviews, Jya!**

**Invader Hog OUT!**


	7. Bent

**Of Flowers and Love**

**Summary: Ino's personal journal that describes all of her friends in her own way… through flowers. Pairings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven **

**Bent**

**_Monday November 5th_**

_Sorry, can't write right now, I have to hurry, emergency mission, talk to you in a few days._

**_Tuesday November 6th _**

**_Mission!_**

**_Wednesday November 7th_**

_**Mission!**_

**_Thursday November 8th _**

**_Mission!_**

**_Friday November 9th _**

**_Mission! _**

**_Saturday November 10th _**

**_Mission! _**

**_Sunday November 11th _**

**_The day I should be returning, talk to you then_**

**_Monday November 12th_**

_I'm back, I'm sorry, I just got in this morning and decided to sleep away my morning. Mission was a success, thanks to Kiba. Shikamaru, Kiba and myself had to go into the Rock Village, gather information about their new kage, but it almost got messed up when Kiba opened his mouth after getting bitten by a freaking huge bug and I lost control of my body, almost getting us killed.. _

_Luckily the dolt grabbed my body while they ran and I was saved, but man Shikamaru was pissed, but the mission was complete, more or less, and it turns out the new kage might be a threat later…_

_So enough about mission work, I thought of the instance as inspiration about who I will make a flower for next._

_Shino Aburame._

_He likes bugs and crap, and since Kiba and Hinata were once his teammates, I am going to ask them._

Ino closed her journal and grabbed an extra brush and was running down the street in a flash, hoping to find either the blushing brunette or the loud dog boy. Instead she ran into, literally, someone else entirely.

"Hello Kurenai sensei!" Ino said, almost having just taken the woman out. She had been inside a shop, buying some ramen, when Ino came barreling down the street.

"Why are you in such a big hurry?" she asked, fixing her hair.

"Oh, just looking for Hinata," Ino said, looking around.

"She's probably inside that ramen shop down the street, the one that loud mouth always goes to," the tall woman responded, heading down toward the Hokage Monument. Ino pulled out her journal.

_Note To Self: Hinata needs some therapy, for wanting to hang out with Naruto._

The shop was busy, and as usual, the loud mouth blonde was there, slurping away at a bowl. Hinata was sitting next to him, her normal blush on her face as Naruto told her the story about the mist ninja he swears he fought against. Ino really never thought that story was true, but Sakura continually swore it was true.

"T-That's amazing…" Hinata gasped as Naruto continued.

"Then I felt really weird, like something inside of me was breaking, so I just attacked!" Naruto said, finishing off his bowl and yelling for another one.

Hinata gasped again and slurped a little on her own chopsticks as Naruto received his new bowl.

"So then, I'm hitting him and he's way overconfident, I say, so soon I'm getting angrier as if he thinks he's going to beat me!" Naruto said, slurping loudly. Hinata nodded to let him know to continue, Ino sighing in the doorway. She sat down next to Hinata, not even acknowledged by the blushing brunette.

_Okay, so Hinata is wrapped a little too tight around Naruto and she seems to believe everything he says, I think she's a little too gullible._

"Hey Hinata, Naruto," Ino tried but now Naruto was done with his bowl, full attention on Hinata, getting to the climax of his story.

"And then I was yelling at the bastard but he turned to me and told me to shut up, he was crying and then I gave him…"

Naruto continued on and on and Hinata was leaning in on every word now, physically she was leaning in as well, eyes locked into his own. Ino felt that Hinata would fall forward soon and that would be weird.

"So he cut off his head and… uh…" now Naruto noticed how close Hinata was, blushing a little, as he sat back a bit, large blue eyes staring into Hinata's pearl ones.

"And then?" Hinata pressed, wanting to know what happened.

"And then he asked if he c-could lay next to Haku, to say goodbye. They died together in the snow," Naruto finished, blushing a little more as Hinata gave out a sigh of relief and sadness. Ino looked around, no one else seemed to be noticing this strange couple right now.

"Uh…. Y-yeah! That's exactly what happened!" Naruto declared, trying to cover his burning cheeks by turning back to his empty bowl. Hinata looked back to her own half empty one (**_or half full if that's how you look at it_**) and sighed, as if she had just missed a chance.

"Uh…Hey Hinata, mind if I talk to you for a second?" Ino asked, Hinata finally noticing her.

"Oh, Ino, forgive me, I did not see you."

"Don't worry about it, uh…. I wanted to talk to you about… Shino."

Ino had almost forgotten why she was there, seeing Hinata so fixated on Naruto made her completely forget she was in real life.

"Oh… Shino?" Hinata asked, picking up her chopsticks.

"Yeah, like, he's a little weird, and I was wondering if maybe you knew a few things about him."

"Oh… well… h-he's very secretive, doesn't talk much… I guess he's very quiet but brave and strong. When we were doing missions when we were on the same team, he usually was the one who kept his cool and told us how to fix any problem. He's a nice guy, just kind of… obsessed with something…. Or should I say someone…." Hinata mumbled to herself, her blush starting to fade. Naruto's head suddenly popped into view and found its way onto Hinata's left shoulder.

"Shino? That guy creeps me out!" Naruto said, making Hinata gasp and her entire face redden.

"Hello Naruto, how's it going?" Ino asked, smiling at the look on Hinata's face. Her white eyes were as wide as Ino had ever seen them and the fact that Naruto was so close to her made Hinata fumble her hands.

"Nothing much, how're you Ino?" Naruto asked, smiling brightly. Hinata looked like she was trying to say something but just couldn't.

"Ah well, I better get going, I need to go help my mom with something," Ino said, trying not to laugh her head off. Naruto waved and went back to his new bowl, leaving Hinata to stop holding her breath.

"S-S-S-S-S-See y-y-y-you I-I-In-Ino."

Ino hurried out of the shop, laughing crazily and writing furiously.

_Best thing just happened, Hinata was unable to say anything when Naruto was like two inches from her face, so great! I think I see our little heiress is in total love! I know this entry is about Shino, but because of this new development, I'll also write in Hinata, and probably wait until tomorrow to do Shino. But one thing that is bothering me, Hinata said that Shino was "distracted by something… or someone…" who can distract that guy? I'll talk to him tomorrow, its getting really late._

_Oh! I almost forgot Hinata's flower. I think it might be the Motherwort. It means Concealed Love. Naruto doesn't ever seem to understand that she is in total love with him but I guess that's life. I'm tired, talk to you tomorrow._

Ino got home and changed, threw her journal on her desk and turned off her light. Before she fell asleep, however, she did think about Hinata.

"Hmm… yeah… Motherwort…"

_Concealed Love…_

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**-Sorry for such a long update, I have three stories going on, if you want to read them, please do, one is called _Letters To Temari _and the other is _Rent_, both Naruto and please remember to review. I'll probably update more very soon. Enjoy the holidays!**

**Invader Hog OUT!**


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